This invention relates to the field of athletic equipment. More specifically, it relates to the field of chin straps for athletic helmets.
Generally, chin strap designs can be divided into two categories. The first category consists of chin straps which are worn under the chin at the junction of the chin and the throat. The second category of chin straps consists of designs which incorporate an identifiable chin cup or a pair of intersecting straps to fit over the wearer's chin. The invention disclosed herein is a manufacture of the second category.
Chin strap designs in both categories have been disclosed in the prior art. In the first category, for example, single strap designs have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,044,400 (Lewicki, et al.), 4,461,044 (Reiterman, et al.), and 4,549,541 (Sundahl). In the second category, a chin strap is disclosed by Roberts in U.S. Pat. No. 2,277,994 which utilizes two bands to encircle the chin for the purpose of securing headgear for boxing or wrestling. Similar designs are disclosed by S. V. Grancsay, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 2,769,176 and by L. Helm in U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,921. A chin cup design made of a double knit fabric with affixed stretchable nylon straps has been disclosed by Gooding in U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,446. Chin strap designs for football helmets have been disclosed by R. T. Jones in U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,811 (assigned to applicant) which uses a chin cup in lieu of a dual strap design, and by E. Strohm in U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,761 utilizing two webbed straps. However, none of these prior designs have been satisfactory when it is desired to provide adjustability for the chin strap assembly so that the angle of the chin cup can be adjusted according to the size and shape of the wearer's chin.